Saints snag Olin Kreutz

The New Orleans Saints have picked up a significant addition to their offensive line.

Former Bears center Olin Kruetz has reached an agreement with the Saints on a one-year deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting.

If Kreutz’s new teammates in New Orleans are anything like his old teammates in Chicago, he’ll quickly become a well-respected team leader. Several Bears players said they were upset that the Bears didn’t keep Kreutz, and they’ve said they expect a leadership void in the locker room with Kreutz gone.

The 34-year-old Kreutz was the Bears’ starting center for the last 12 years and hasn’t missed a game in the last eight years.

It will be interesting to see how much leadership will be missed, because I don’t really know who the leader on the offensive side of the ball is.

It isn’t Roy Williams or any of the linemen drafted in the last few seasons, and I have a REALLY hard time believing that Jay “headscratcher” Cutler will be the kind of leaders most QBs are suppose to be.

Seriously can anyone argue that the Saints have had the most productive offseason? Great draft, amazing FA signings, great re-sign’s, great response/upgrades to players lost!!! Sept 8th = We take Dat back!

ragingyinzer says:Aug 5, 2011 1:49 PM

One of the dirtiest players in the NFL, so fitting that he ends up in the Dirty South.

jerryangelomakesmewanttojumpoffabridge says:Aug 5, 2011 1:49 PM

Best Wishes Olin, a true chicago Bear

homebruer says:Aug 5, 2011 1:50 PM

this clowns missed blocks and missed snap counts the last couple of years wont be missed in chicago. his “intangibles” everyone keeps fawning about included being a bottom ranked offense and being a locker room bully and a hothead.(ask fred miller) oh and forget about using a shotgun formation too, he SUCKS at that. he’ll end up on his ass in the big easy too. good riddance.

Olin was getting to old and Lovie has a point, Jay Cutler needs to be the leader in the huddle and the locker room.

Do you think the colts rely on Jeff Saturday or Peyton?

gridassassin says:Aug 5, 2011 1:59 PM

That might be conventional wisdom – but the Bears did NOT let Olin walk over $500K. They offered $3M, he wanted 4.5M – then increased it to $4M and told him he had an hour to take the deal. He then walked.

His best days are behind him, he’s undersized, got pushed around as if he were on roller skates at times last year – but all that being said, he was a warrior for the Bears for over a decade – I wish him luck.

The Saints O-line is also better than the Bears, as is the offensive system – so I think he’ll do well as he’s not being expected to be the best O-lineman.

The legend of Olin lives on with Bears fans. The fact is he was allowed to walk because he really couldn’t play anymore. Combine that with a growing percentage of the locker room and front-office tired of Olin being a frat-house bully (mistaken by too many as “leadership”) and the Bears are better off without him.

southcakpanther says:Aug 5, 2011 2:12 PM

breeshasasprole says:
Aug 5, 2011 1:47 PM
Seriously can anyone argue that the Saints have had the most productive offseason? Great draft, amazing FA signings, great re-sign’s, great response/upgrades to players lost!!! Sept 8th = We take Dat back!
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You Saint bandwagoners are fast becoming as annoying as Cowboy fans.

Right, because Jay Cutler’s got a surplus of guys giving him awesome protection.

southcakpanther says:Aug 5, 2011 2:23 PM

thevza says:
Aug 5, 2011 2:05 PM
So which former Bear is most likely to make the Pro Bowl this year just to stick it to us poor Bear fans: Tommie Harris, Brad Maynard, Greg Olsen, or Kreutz?
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Greg Olsen looked unbelievable last night in his first full pad practice. That guy has got some serious hands and is faster than I thought.

breeshasasprole says:
Aug 5, 2011 1:47 PM
Seriously can anyone argue that the Saints have had the most productive offseason? Great draft, amazing FA signings, great re-sign’s, great response/upgrades to players lost!!! Sept 8th = We take Dat back!
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You Saint bandwagoners are fast becoming as annoying as Cowboy fans.

==========

Oh please, because a Saints fan thinks their team had the best offseason, he’s a bandwagoner? Most bandwagon fans aren’t even paying attention to football right now, they’ll jump into it after the first couple of wins. No “bandwagon” fan would be excited about getting a center, they probably would have never heard of Olin Kreutz to begin with.

Do you disagree with the poster’s statement? Or are you just worried that what he said is true and your team is in the same division?

BANDWAGGON?!?!?!?!?! I’ve been a Saint fan since the day i was born. Born and raised in Nola, i have never missed a Saints game in my entire life (that includes having to listen to Jim Henderson giving me heart attacks on the radio when they couldnt sell out games). I stood behind them in in the “good ole days” of Billy Joe Hobert, BJ Tolliver, Heath Shuler, Danny “my helmet is on the wrong way” worstfull, doug nussmier, Mario Bates, Alex Molden (instead of eddie george), Jim Everett, Steve Walsh, Bobby Hebert running around like a falcon in a falcons jersey against the Saints, Mike Ditka, Ricky Williams, Aaron Brooks and jim haslett, etc… I was a Saint fan before your cute little panther team even existed. The fact that us Saint fans refer to those times as the good ole days is something you’ll never understand… only real fans understand what that means. I was unaware that 27 years loving a team to death through the bad times, even worst of times, and the greatest of times was considered being a bandwaggon fan… ive been a “bandwaggon” fan of my home team longer than your team has existed. Dont get mad at the Who Dats because your team is horrible and will continue to be so for the next 5 years or so depending on cam newton (if hes a bust then its a lot longer than 5 years), dont be angry because one day it will be your time, one day when the Saints no longer have the best team in the South, and one day when the Falcons arent right behind us competing, and one day when the bucs arent fighting the Falcons for second…….one day buddy! This is normaly when I would say “cheers” but I would never cheers a dbag like you, have fun in the cellar!

ilovefoolsball says:Aug 5, 2011 3:08 PM

They might always be the aints to you but the players on your team sure as hell wouldn’t say that to the saints players faces, for they are a formidable foe.

southcakpanther says:Aug 5, 2011 3:08 PM

@breeshasasprole

Since you are such a long time fan of the Aints you should know the Panthers own a winning record all time versus the Aints.

One day. I can’t wait.

southcakpanther says:Aug 5, 2011 3:11 PM

Saint fans sure are sensitive.

tformation says:Aug 5, 2011 3:14 PM

I’ll miss his personality… but I can’t blame the Bears too much for wanting some youth (or at least youngER) on the aging O-line.

Thanks Olin, for 13 great years. Good luck on the Saints (except for week 2, of course).

southcakpanther says:Aug 5, 2011 3:22 PM

All smack talk aside; the Saints will be good, the Flacons will be good, the Bucs have to prove they are good against a better schedule and most likely will. Next year when my Panthers have a year of the new O and D systems under their belt, they will be good. NFC South will be strong from top to bottom.

People like to hate on the Saints because they’re finally an elite team. Yeah they lost to a 7-9 team in the first round last year….but lest you forget the year before that they were hoisting the Lombardi! When was the last time the Panthers made the playoffs, the ’05 season?! Since then the Saints have been in the play offs 3 times and are poised to make another run this year. I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch, but I know you can mark down at least two “W”s on the Saints schedule: Week 5 and Week 17 (unless they’re sitting starters…again….)

GEAUX SAINTS AND GEAUX KREUTZ!!!

chobes68 says:Aug 5, 2011 3:37 PM

Olin walked away from 4 mil, enough said. He’s the one who walked away from half a mil as well.

If he was still as good as he used to be, there would have been more than one or two teams looking at him.

I respect the guy for the time he spent here, but his not being here certainly will not affect how well they play or don’t. His effective years have passed. He’s nothing more than an inspirational leader, and decent player on a good team.

What would football be like without smack talk??? probably cricket, or water polo, or god forbid even soccer….better keep running your mouth panther boy, this sport depends on it!

scomibord says:Aug 5, 2011 3:48 PM

Next year when my Panthers have a year of the new O and D systems under their belt, they will be good. NFC South will be strong from top to bottom.

What a fan…first game hasn’t even been played yet and already giving up on your team?

southcakpanther says:Aug 5, 2011 4:04 PM

@ scomibord says:
Aug 5, 2011 3:48 PM

lol who’s giving up? We have a new coaching staff, new offensive, and new defensive schemes. There were no OTAs, no mini-camps. The new CBA has cut practice time in half for training camp. I’m not giving up, I’m realistic. The Panthers are going to suprise a lot of folks this year, but I’m not gonna sit here and scream “Playoffs” like some blind homer.

The Birds arent even close to being as complete as either of these teams.

& i’m a diehard fan, just keepin it real.

turbodog1027 says:Aug 5, 2011 6:08 PM

Falcons are done. The stink from that blowout loss at home against the Packers will last a long time in ATL. The Dirty chickens were in the best position possible and got friggen BLOWNOUT.
That’s tough to get past

Saint have made some great pick ups this offseason and they will definately be better this year. Personally I despise them and hope they lose every game, but Ill give credit where its due.

The reason everyone hates on them is because of that stupid “who dat who dey” BS. Its almost as annoying as the MNF announcers bl0wing Dree Brees after a 3 yard check down and raving about how great of a play it was.

You Panther fans can keep dreaming. While you will be better than last year, its nearly impossible to do worse than 2-14. The Bucs and Falcons are gonna be tough too. Easily one of the toughest divisions in the NFL

asublimeday says:
Aug 5, 2011 2:33 PM
Olsen could but that team is horrible and newton will bust.
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Newton was hitting Olsen in stride all night last night. Keep on hating.
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Jamarcus had some great practices too.

You have to love the completely schizophrenic nature of the Bears fans’ comments hear. They’re all saying he was “let go because he couldn’t play” or that “the Bears wanted to keep him and that’s why he was offered $4 million dollars.”

So they offered $4 million dollars to someone who couldn’t play anymore? I think not.

truthserum4u says:Aug 6, 2011 4:57 AM

Great move by both the Saints & Kreutz! He’s still one helluva player.

wicky888 you are delusional and you don’t have your facts straight. “who dey” is something bengals fans say. Both phrases seem to have their roots in vaudeville acts of the early 20th century, especially “who dat.”

Also, the reason the saints lost was because of all the starters that got knocked out the final week of the regular season and of course you know this. At least we lost on the road not in our own house and at least it was a close game. You guys got absolutely HUMILIATED. It was delicious to see. This year, the Falcons will go no better than 9-7 because all those close games they won last year, they will lose this time around. The Failcons are terrible and Mike Smith is inept.